Educating Food Science Students at Wageningen

7 January 2019

As part of KLBD’S education outreach our Technical Sales Manager David Busse recently presented on Kosher certification at Wageningen University, at the invitation of Professor Ralf Hartemink. He informed food science students the vital significance kosher bears within food certification. Knowing about food certification and compliance is important for students whether their main focus is food microbiology or food engineering. Kosher is a food certification system amongst many; ISO, BRC, HACCP, organic and halal. KLBD currently certifies around forty thousand ingredients and over two thousand retail products across six continents.

As a recognized food certificate, Kosher Accreditation provides a trusted way to ensure products comply with a set of audit guidelines. It provides a further level of confidence to the consumer, as they know that a third party and an independent inspector is evaluating the products to international standards. Most major ingredients and raw material manufacturers retain some level of kosher certification for their European and North American customers. As one of the important issues in this area today it should be highlighted in university food science programs. We look to inform students to know about this through our lecture program.

As our Technical Sales Manager said “The talk adds another dimension to their education about a very important accreditation”. It is certainly this extra dimension that contributes to a fuller picture of the ranges of certification that are to be found in food production. This is beneficial for those wishing to embark on a career in quality assurance / technical management.

The educational talk also raises crucial awareness of KLBD in certification. Upon asking our technical sales representative if the students seemed more in touch with kosher after the presentation he advised “The talk doesn’t only put students in touch for their future in quality assurance as a science but puts KLBD in the front seat of future certification possibilities.” KLBD is certainly maintaining its premier position at the forefront of food assurance. The continuing expansion of the global ingredients market has contributed to the success of KLBD. Our ingredient clients include companies such as Givaudan, Ineos, NuMega, DMK and British Sugar. Our long history with clients in this industry and our expertise makes us able to offer a unique educational opportunity for those studying the science of food, microbiology or food engineering.

The KLBD kosher logo ensures customers that a company is transparent (through an audit) regarding their ingredients and processes. This helps a manufacturer’s relationship with consumers in an increasingly competitive food market. Understanding how this process effects a consumer in the food market is helpful for students and advantageous for their future in their chosen field.

KLBD hopes to continue its education outreach. It is vital these live talks continue to take place to keep kosher certification at the forefront of accreditation possibilities.